


Time Flies

by Nozoroomie



Series: Valley of Kings [1]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: F/F, Non Binary Eli, Valley of Kings AU, WIll update relationships and characters as I update the story, vok Au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-15
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-07-24 03:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7492074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nozoroomie/pseuds/Nozoroomie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After connecting with a human, Eli learns how valuable life can be in the worst possible way and how time goes by quickly for mortals. It’s been two hundred years since they’ve been on earth, and something draws them to their holy temple more so than on any other day.</p><p>They never would have known that something would turn out to be someone, and that someone was destined to meet them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time Flies

**Author's Note:**

> Hey gang! Time for a new story! This is a prize story for Skiretehfox on tumblr, since they were one of the winners from a follower giveaway I held. They requested a story from an AU we've been collaborating on together! This story is more of a prequel to the actual events of the au though.
> 
> a HUGE Thank you to Silversheath and Banditchika on tumblr for their help beta reading this story ;;w;; (and also a lil bit to Luckfoser for their help as well!) It means a lot to me and I really appreciate it all ;;w;;. Thank you so much <3
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

Time is bitter, Eli thinks. Time for them is infinite, a mere concept they can’t begin to comprehend. They have control over it all, the past, the present, even the future. Time for them is nothing, and yet it is everything. They spend that time overseeing their galaxies. Their kingdoms. Eli should have known by now that there were faults to being immortal, but only now had they seen the challenges first hand.

Guiding their little sister into the afterlife was something Eli didn’t think they’d ever have to do. They never considered that humans couldn’t live forever. They never thought to share their powers with the human they loved so dearly; the human who saw them not as a powerful being, but as family. The god should have known that guiding humans and creatures towards the heavens would come for her one day too. They should have known coming to love something with such a short life span would cause them grief.

They have all the time in the world, and yet so little of it is spent doing things they would like to. They have a duty, as the King of the cosmos. The galaxies are their domain and yet they’re unable to leave this planet. A planet full of so much life and prosperity; a planet they rule alone. It’s a lonely existence, but it’s all they’ve ever known. Or had known, is what they think. They know now what it’s like to be with someone who loves you and whom you love in return.

Eli never experienced having a family. Parental love is something they never had, and they didn’t have beings they could call ‘siblings’ in their realm. They can only think back to their existence like waking up from a deep sleep, and the only being there was a voice. A voice that told them who they are, and how they would be the one that all life looks up to. They hadn’t questioned it back then and accepted the role without a second thought.

But now, after connecting with a human soul and watching her grow from the lost little girl to the beautiful woman she was, Eli wonders why they’re all alone. Why hadn’t they been given a family like the humans on their Earth have? Why were they so attracted to the Earth and these kinds of relationships? Why didn’t they have anyone like family back in their realm? The voice telling them who they were left long ago and hadn’t been around since they mastered their powers, so getting an answer to this question from them is unlikely.

They stand in the center of their temple, thinking about the life they lost. The memories the both of them had together play in their mind, visions of the girl’s smile and moments with Eli absentmindedly playing with her pale blonde hair. The eyes that were only a slight difference in colour from their own. The way she greeted Eli so easily every day, and the prayers she gave that would include them as well. Eli clutches their hands together as liquid pools at the corners of their vibrant eyes, but the tears don’t dare fall.

Their time with the woman woke something within them. A new desire that they can’t quite name. The concept of feeling human emotions isn’t new to them, but now as they begin to feel the pain known as grief, Eli can understand how overwhelming it is. The transparent crown of light blue that hovers above their head flickers as the emotion consumes them. Emotions are a whole new thing and Eli can’t believe they’re only experiencing them fully now that their little sister is gone.

They may not be directly related, but Eli refuses to think of her as anything else.

“Alisa,” their voice is filled with sadness as they look around the practically empty area. “You’ve taught me many valuable things in your time on Earth and with me. Thank you. I’ll never forget you.”

They peer up to the statue made in their likeness. It gives off an intimidating aura, but all Eli can see is the loneliness that radiates from its stone carvings. The sole statue inside a giant temple, located in the holiest place on the planet. Their heart aches and they look away, deciding it’s time to take their leave.

Their heavy footsteps echo around the room as they walk towards the exit, and Eli accepts the life that is now ahead of them. A life full of pain and loneliness as they continue to keep their world a beautiful place for the people who live on it. They think of how much Alisa loved this planet they made beautiful together and their heart twinges a tad. Despite their sadness, they smile to themself as they gaze up at the dark sky, blanketed in the stars they created. They lift their hand up, making a silent wish to themself. In the spot their hand points towards, a new light comes into existence, brighter and bolder than stars surrounding it. A star for the one they lost, and a new light to lead the way through the dark of night. As they bring their hand down, Eli vanishes from the surface of the earth and back to their realm.

Tomorrow will be a new day for the humans, and it was up to Eli to continue to be their light.

* * *

 

It’s been two hundred years since that day. Eli returns to Earth for the first time since, feeling rather nostalgic and drawn to it today more than other days. The space they appear in distorts and their figure slowly forms into place. They stand wearing a cloak as dark as the night sky, with dots of constellations from every galaxy littering the cosmic fabric. The early morning quiet is a peaceful and welcoming sound. The glow around their eyes sticks out and lightens a small portion of their face while the crown that hovers above them flickers just a bit. They observe the quiet area around the valley, noting that not much except the foliage has changed since their last visit. They turn towards the temple, staring up at it and taking in its appearance.

The structure still stands tall and strong among the plants and trees around it. It’s colour has changed with age, but it’s to be expected. The holy building may never crumble, but that doesn’t mean time won’t change its appearance. The steps leading up the the temple are littered in dead leaves and dirt, and a lonely, abandoned aura surrounds it. They exhale through their nose before climbing the steps up to the entrance.

Dirt, dust and old leaves breeze to the side with each step Eli takes. They climb the stairs with ease and keep their eyes locked on their destination. As they get closer to the top a faint  melodic sound reaches their ears. They frown, increasing their speed up the steps. The sound of a voice becomes clearer. The voice of someone who isn’t speaking but of someone who is singing. It’s a song that Eli feels they’ve heard before, in the early days of their existence. When they used to rest, it was a song that would play in their head, lulling them to sleep.

They make sure their steps are quiet as they enter the temple, but pause as they see the walls illuminated already. There are torches lit on every post, the light orange flames crackling faintly and glowing brightly. The song is much louder now as it echos off the walls of the holy building. They look away from the torches towards the source to find a lone figure standing at the center of the room and facing the large statue of her.

The figure is lean like a human and covered by a dark hooded cloak. The figure doesn’t stand very tall and Eli can see their form is similar to that of a woman’s by the shape of their curves that the cloak wraps around nicely. They seem oblivious to Eli’s presence, despite the fact the torches quiver as they step further into the open space. Eli’s feet barely make a sound as they cautiously step forward. They listen intently to the human’s voice, drinking in every word sung, every intake of breath, every soft hum of their voice.

Eli isn’t sure if they’ve ever heard such a beautiful song before.

The logical side of their brain remind them that this is their place. The Valley of Kings, home to their temple and the holiest place in the entire galaxy. Nobody should be able to make the journey to this place- at least nobody human. Their eyes narrow and they watch as the human ends their song, their arms going to their sides. Eli hadn’t realized they had their hands up in prayer, but that didn’t matter anymore.

“I hope it reached our King.” The human mumbles, slightly out of breath.

It’s quiet but Eli can hear it perfectly.

“It did.” Eli’s voice is stern as they reply.

The human freezes for a moment, before slowly turning to face Eli. Their vibrant eyes watch as the human’s body now faces them, still completely hidden by her dark cloak. Their face is darkened under their hood and the dimly lit torches don’t help, but Eli holds a firm gaze. There’s an intense mood filling the room as Eli glares towards the human from their spot across the way.

“You really think so?” There's hope in the voice, and Eli safely confirms it belonging to a female human. “I had hoped reaching this temple might make my prayers to our King stronger, but if I’m doubting my own prayers then it wouldn’t surprise me if it never reached them.”

She laughs to herself and the corner of Eli’s lip twitches. She’s certainly interesting, especially if she can’t realize she’s in the presence of the god she appears to worship. Eli watches as the human walks closer to them.

“I hadn’t thought there was anyone else here. When I arrived, it seemed completely barren,” she admits bashfully.

“That’s because it’s meant to be,” the blonde explains flatly. “Tell me, human, do you know exactly where you are right now?”

Their tone of voice causes the human to tense up again. She brings her hands together behind her back, looking up as if she’s contemplating her answer. There’s a mischievous tone to her voice when she begins to speak again.

“I have many theories, but I don’t know for sure.”  

Eli moves forward, using their powers to bring a gust of wind to blow out the torches as they step closer to the girl. They can see the human stand straighter as they approach, her eyes watering slightly from the strong breeze. Eli senses no fear from the girl at all despite the room growing darker. When they’re within arm’s reach of the human they stop, leaving both of them illuminated by only the light of the moon shining through the windows. With a swift movement of their arm, Eli pulls the hood on their cloak down, revealing their gleaming eyes and long, golden hair.

“Allow me to fill you in then,” they speak in a calm voice. “You’re in the Valley of Kings. Specifically, the temple of the King. _My_ temple.”

Despite the lack of light from the torches, Eli can see a whole new flurry of things about the human in just the moonlight. The cloak is open, falling behind her shoulders and revealing that underneath are matching robes of the same colour. Eli recognizes it as the robes of the acolytes who worship them. The acolytes were a small group that formed a few years before Alisa’s passing and had no group name that the god knew of. They spent their time working in shrines they built for Eli as a place to worship them. All acolytes sworn to their king would wear the robes as dark as the night sky, a small touch Eli admits they enjoy quite a bit.

The lower part of her face is hidden by a cloth mask and tufts of dark violet hair frame the parts of her face they’re able to see. Between those tufts shine the brightest green eyes Eli has ever seen, in all their years of existence and interactions with humans. Had a shade of green like this ever existed in the time they spent on earth before? They aren’t so sure. They try to remain intimidating as they gaze into the eyes of the human but find it challenging when the eyes crinkle, giving her a sign that the human may be smiling.

“Then my song reached you, my King.”

Eli’s mildly surprised to find her bowing the way the acolytes do, her body going to the floor in front of them. They blink, confused for a moment before peering down at the girl as she keeps herself bowed low. They awkwardly clear their throat to catch the girl’s attention.

“Stand, acolyte.” Eli commands, and the girl does as told. “Tell me your name and how you reached this temple.”

The girl smoothes out her robes before speaking.

“My name is Nozomi, my King,” she starts in a soft voice. “I came here after I learnt about its existence and wanted to see if I was able to reach it myself in hopes of leaving an offering and a humble prayer to you.”

Eli spares a glance towards the statue to find that there is indeed, a small offering of food left at the foot of it. They look back to the human that stands in front of her and quirk an eyebrow. A journey to the valley is no easy feat, Eli purposely made it so. No ordinary human could get through the trials to the valley so easily.

“How long did that take you?” they ask, genuinely curious.

“About a month, my King.” Nozomi replies. “ Might’ve been more like two weeks, but I got lost quite a bit.”

She laughs lightly. Eli almost sighs. Maybe it would be two weeks for them if they were to walk on foot and take their time, but a human? Impossible. Eli makes a mental note to look over the surrounding area at some point.

“I commend you for being able to make such a rough journey, but you can’t stay here too long,” the god says. “This is a place not meant for humans. You may finish your prayer and spend the rest of the night here if you wish, but once the sun reaches the high point in the sky you’ll need to leave.”

“Ah,” Nozomi’s eyes flicker downward. “About that-”

Eli’s eyebrows raise as Nozomi pauses, contemplating if she should continue to speak what’s on her mind. Eli waits patiently as her eyes scan everywhere but them before eventually the green irises peer back into their own. The longer Eli stares into them, the more lost they feel.

“It’s going to be winter again soon, my King,” she begins. “You’ve noticed how the trees are already changing colour, yes?”

“I hadn’t,” the blonde replies, thinking back to the leaves along the steps.

“ _Really?_ ” The violet haired acolyte looks outside. “Ah, well, it is pretty dark out right now so I guess that would affect the colours of the leaves.”

“I don’t see what your point is, acolyte.” Eli continues with a stern voice. “Surely you’ll be able to make it back to your village in time before the snow falls begin.”

When the acolyte says nothing, Eli frowns a bit. They would not pity this human. She got here by herself, she will be leaving that way as well.

“What about your family and village?” they ask. “Won’t they be waiting for you to come home?”

Nozomi shakes her head.

“The village my family lives in is far off towards the mountains,” she explains. “I left them quite a long time ago without intentions of going back.”

Silence surrounds them and Eli nods once in understanding. Nozomi doesn’t say more about the subject, and Eli doesn’t pry. They step forward and past the girl, deciding to take a look at her offering. Nozomi’s gaze follows Eli and she stays quiet as Eli examines the offering.

They lift up the small hand woven basket carefully and look over its contents. They’re surprised to find the whole top of the basket covered in large ears of corn protected by bright green husks. Peering underneath them they find a small canteen and next to that what looks to be a loaf of bread. Probably stale bread, but bread nonetheless.

“This seems well preserved. I’m surprised, considering you said it took you a month to get here.” The blonde has a hint of surprise in their voice, examining the food with care.

“Thank you, my King.” Nozomi replies earnestly. “I think my prayers for keeping the offering as fresh as possible went through.”

Eli turns to face her again, opening their mouth to speak but the words are gone the moment their eyes land on the human.

Her cloak hood has been lowered, and the acolyte has pulled her mask down to reveal her full face to the god. Her hair is long, trailing down her back in long wavy tresses. More strands frame her face now and her eyes practically glow as she stands in a spot illuminated by the moon outside. An unfamiliar pang hits Eli in their chest and they can’t place the emotion they feel. This girl is a beautiful soul, but Eli feels as if there’s something more to her. Something important that Eli can’t place. Something that makes them ache with a curiosity they’ve never felt before.

Giving it more thought, Eli realizes that two hundred years may be a short amount of time for her, but for humans like Nozomi, two hundred years is several lifetimes. Eli could know virtually nothing about the world around them, but Nozomi seems like she might know everything they’re curious about. With Eli’s galaxies growing and more planets with life coming around, they’ve been busy helping to get those lives accustomed to their worlds and haven’t had time to keep up with the original planet with the first life forms they’d ever created. It hurts Eli to know they’ve distanced themselves this much from the Earth. Eli quickly comes up with a new plan, getting rid of their initial idea.

“Acolyte,” the god starts. “What was it you said your name was?”

“It’s Nozomi, my King. Nozomi Tojo.”

“Nozomi Tojo.” Eli tests the name on their lips, becoming familiar with it easily. ”I’ve made a decision. It’s been many years since I’ve been here, and visited my temple. While I’m able to watch and do what I can from my realm, it seems that’s not enough. I’m unsure about the ways of my planet now.”

A smile rests on Nozomi’s lips and Eli holds the offering closer to them on reflex. What a dangerously cute expression. They erase that thought and speak again, not wanting to diverge from their point.

“I need to know the current times of my planet, Nozomi,” Eli explains in further detail. “I still have my duties to the galaxies, but since winter will be here and it will be a difficult journey for you, I’ll make you an offer, if you’ll have it.”

Nozomi waits and Eli takes that as their cue to elaborate.

“You’re free to stay here in the temple for the season, until spring returns and you’ll be safe to travel again. In exchange, you must teach me everything you know about the Earth and its inhabitants. I’ll visit you here every night I’m able to, and you will educate me on the things that have changed in the last two centuries.”

The offer hangs in the air for only a brief moment before Nozomi bows again.

“I will teach you everything I know, my King.”

Eli doesn’t hide their small smile. There’s a logical part to them asking why they would offer such an idiotic deal with a human, knowing they could be learning knowledge about things they already know. Another part tells them it might be nice, having some form of company from Earth again.

If Eli were more honest, they’d admit that maybe the true reason lies behind their curiosity over the human girl and the unexplainable pull they have to her.

* * *

 

The first couple weeks are interesting to get used to. Eli quickly learns Nozomi is full of knowledge on many things. The villages, human behaviour, plants and wildlife that are safe to eat and others that people should stay away from, so many different topics are burnt through on the evenings Eli spends with her. Talking with her is quite easier than Eli anticipated and they find conversations with Nozomi satisfying and nice. A great change to their normally lonely days.

Nozomi in general is a great person to be around. Eli wonders if this is because they haven’t spent much time around people in such a long time, but they don’t linger on the thought much. Nozomi likes to sit on her cloak in front of Eli’s statue when she teaches them about the planet, a habit Eli finds rather endearing. When Eli asks why she does this, Nozomi explains that the cold ground isn’t fun to sit on for long periods of time, plus the cloak works as a soft cushion. Eli shakes their head at the idea, only to begin doing the same thing days later.

They fix up a small room in the temple for Nozomi to sleep in. Inside is a bed, a water basin, and a shelf to store any items she holds dear. Nozomi thanks Eli graciously, but Eli pays no mind to it. If Nozomi will be teaching them about the planet, she’ll need a place to rest every night. It was the same way years before with Alisa, when Eli would bring her to the temple.

The god had intended to provide Nozomi with meals, but quickly learnt that the violet haired girl was able to come up with it herself throughout the day. Every day was spent gathering food or cleaning the temple. Eli admires the energy this girl seems to have in the mornings, but on the off chance they check in during the afternoon they would always find the human napping in her room peacefully. Sometimes they found themselves watching her and taking in the serene scene for only a moment before they would leave to return to their realm and their work.

Eli finds their favourite moments of the day always revolve around Nozomi and her lessons. Listening to the human talk and explain the world she lives in is nicer than Eli could imagine. She explains things so calmly and gently, Eli enjoys every moment of it. Nozomi could repeat the same story over again and Eli would still find themselves intently listening to it. Eli always finds their thoughts lingering on Nozomi whenever they return back to their realm and get back to their duties. They sometimes wonder if Nozomi ever feels the same after the lessons.

The evening comes quicker for Eli, and after overseeing a concerning growth in internal temperature of a planet in a galaxy over, they decide to make her way to Earth to see Nozomi. They appear just out front of the temple, their cloak billowing as their feet land on the solid rock beneath them. They notice the steps are cleaner than they were the day before and their eyes crinkle a bit. Nozomi must have been working outside today. A strange thought, considering the temperature is dropping and the land is preparing itself for winter. The god steps inside the temple, making a mental note to make sure to leave food for Nozomi when the cold weather gets worse.

The torches flicker and Eli sees the familiar figure of Nozomi, knelt in front of their statue with a small offering and her hands up in prayer. Her hood and mask are up, as they usually are when she prays. They focus on the sounds of their people sending their thoughts to them, gliding through them to locate Nozomi’s voice. They closes their glowing eyes and listen closely to the rest of the prayer.

“-and may our King have a good evening and enjoy everything I will teach them about today.”

It’s a curious way to end it, but when Nozomi’s voice cuts off they know that’s all they’ll hear. They open their eyes and watch as Nozomi’s hands rest on the legs folded up underneath her as she stares up at the statue. Eli can faintly make out the tiny smile resting underneath her mask. As they move to step over to her, Nozomi’s head turns to them and those bright green eyes peer at her with happiness.

“Good evening, my King,” she says in greeting, bowing her head.

“Good evening Nozomi.” Eli replies with a smile.

Nozomi lifts her head and stands, flattening her skirt down and looking to Eli. She pulls her hood down and soon her mask follows. Eli notices her hair is tied in two low twintails today. It’s a noticeable change that Eli finds nice. The hairstyle suits her. The two of them sit together at the foot of Eli’s statue, taking off their cloaks and resting on them as they usually do.

“Are you ready for the lesson, my King?” Nozomi asks.

“Mhm.” Eli nods, their expression twisting a bit.

Two weeks of learning from the acolyte and she continued to refer to them as ‘her King’ without a second thought. They wonder if Nozomi feels weird, calling someone who would be her student her king. Eli feels a bit weird continuing to hear it. Nozomi quirks an eyebrow at Eli’s expression.

“Is something the matter, my King?” she inquires.

They shake their head, not wanting to worry Nozomi.

“It’s nothing major,” they explain in a soft voice. “But I’d appreciate if we are alone like this and you intend to teach me, that you refer to me by my name.”

Nozomi’s eyes widen slightly and her lips turn upward a bit. Eli can see the mixture of nerves and excitement that follow, and they shift a bit nervously. Nobody has called them by their name since Alisa. They wonder what it might sound like on the tongue of a different person.

“If that’s okay, then I will call you by your name,” Nozomi pauses for only a moment, looking at Eli to make sure it’s alright before speaking again, “Eli.”

Eli doesn’t know why their heart rate increases the moment she says it, but it causes them to smile regardless. Eli had forgotten the joy of hearing their name from someone else. Their chest swells with delight and Nozomi speaks again.

“Should I continue with today’s lesson, Eli?”

“Please do.” Their voice is laced with happiness they can’t contain and Nozomi’s eyes soften as she stares at Eli.

“Today, I want to teach you a bit about time. Is that okay?”

Eli stiffens and their face falls from their happy expression to a neutral one. Even after all these years, Eli still finds time a struggle. They know it’s merely a concept. Time is an illusion at most, a thought that humans use to keep track of their days. Their past and their present, even their future. Time is so vast and Eli is so busy, they can barely find the time to learn about it and understand it’s importance better (the irony isn’t lost on them.) When Nozomi stares at them with a concerned gaze, Eli simply nods.

“Yes. It’s alright.” The god gives Nozomi a verbal answer to reassure her.

“I guess I’ll start the lesson by explaining a couple things about time,” the violet haired girl begins. “There isn’t a lot we know about time. It’s still a very new concept. We’ve been keeping track of how time works since your very first visit to Earth. Time before then is known as ‘Before King Eli’ or BKE for short. I think it’s been around two hundred years since then if I remember correctly.”

Blue eyes stay focused on Nozomi as she begins to explain how time works to them. What Eli expected to be such a simple concept turns into something more complicated than they can comprehend. Was it because they are immortal? Their realm can be whatever kind of weather they felt like, and whether it was night or day never mattered there. But here on Earth, the planet revolved around sun, much like planets in other galaxies Eli created. The side facing the sun was day, and the side facing away was night, and that was how they kept track of the hours in the day and the night. Eli’s amazed at how the humans decided this would be how they keep track of the time of day. They wonder what kind of conversations lead to that conclusion, but know it’s most definitely a mystery to even Nozomi.

Nozomi continues to explain time in as many simple terms she can. A year is composed of months, while a month is full of weeks, which have seven days each lasting twenty four hours long (with sixty minutes in each hour.) They listen as Nozomi goes on to elaborate about the cycle of hours in the day. Whenever humans reach a new year, they like to celebrate amongst each other and many considered it quite a spiritual occasion. The perfect time to pray to their King. Eli smiles as it dawns on them why they would occasionally receive twice the amount of daily prayers.

Nozomi covers her mouth as she yawns loudly and Eli looks outside with a frown.

“Has it gotten late already?” they murmur. They want to learn more about time.

“I’m afraid so, Eli,” Nozomi responds, getting used to Eli’s name easily. “We have been talking about time for a good three hours now.”

“Is... that a long time?” Eli asks. Nozomi giggles.

“It can be sometimes. I find three hours are always the shortest when I’m with you.”

Eli flushes slightly, a bit embarrassed from Nozomi’s comment.

“Ah, I’m quite sorry.” Nozomi giggles.

“You don’t need to be, Eli,” Nozomi grins, leaning forward a bit. “Time flies by quickly when you’re having fun. If three hours goes by fast for us, it just means we’re enjoying each others company a lot, right?”

The words echo in Eli’s mind and they think about them hard. Time flew by for them regardless of if they were having fun or not. They were often kept busy thanks to their duties, but in those spare moments when they were alone and left with their thoughts, that’s when everything seemed to slow down. Nothing to distract them from the thoughts that haunt them. They remember quite vividly the lonely nights of nothing but silence and pain after Alisa passed. That was around the time Eli spent less time resting and more time working.

“I’ll take your word for it.,” they mumble quietly.

Eli pushes up from their cloak and Nozomi follows, lifting it up as well and folding it over one of her arms. She gives Eli a small and tired smile, tilting her head up to look at Eli’s face. She watches as Eli picks up their cloak and throw it around their shoulders.

“Good night, Nozomi,” the god says once they’re prepared to leave. “I’m sensing it might be a couple of days until my next visit. Will that be alright?”

Nozomi nods.

“Of course, Eli. When you return we can pick up from where we left off.” Her eyes droop a bit and Eli can sense the exhaustion hitting the human.

“That would be wonderful.” Eli can’t help but smile, seeing the girl becoming sleepier by the second. “You should head to bed now. You’ll become ill if you sleep out here.”

Nozomi laughs tiredly and nods.

“Mhm. Okay. Goodnight Elichi.”

The sleepy eyes suddenly snap open and Eli’s eyebrow lift up in surprise and mild amusement. They watch as the violet haired girl becomes flustered and covers her mouth, looking apologetically at Eli. They can’t stop their smirk from rising and they chuckle quietly.

“Elichi, huh? Is that your nickname for me?” The god teases.

“Maybe?” She voices with an unsure laugh. “I’m sorry, it’s something I do when I feel close to others, I didn’t mean for it to slip out like that.”

Eli puts a hand on Nozomi’s shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile.

“Don’t be. I don’t mind it. I like it.”

They pull their hand away not long after and the two say good night one last time. Eli watches as Nozomi steps off to the side and down the hall towards where her room waits for her. Eli’s smile softens and they close their eyes, thinking back to the many years before when a certain blonde-haired teen would greet them with an excited “Elichika!” Eli’s smile grows the more they remember. They can feel the tears forming at the corners of their eyes, but they don’t fall as they stare through the open window and to a certain star.

Only a single tear falls as Eli realizes this is the first time they’ve smiled at a memory with Alisa in a very long time.

* * *

 

Eli returns four days later, concern for the planet in another galaxy heavily clouding their mind. Natural disasters are occurring all over the place, and peeking at the planet’s core is no laughing matter. Time is running out, and quickly. They need to think of something to do to try and save the life on that planet before it’s too late, but every thought brings them nowhere. They are lost.

Not knowing what else to do, Eli returns to Earth to see Nozomi. If no ideas can be formed now, maybe some time with Nozomi might help. It’s the middle of the day when they return, which is quite a change from their usual routine together. They look around, taking in the completely bare trees. There’s a chill to the air and Eli shivers before walking towards the entrance. They enter the temple not long after. eager to see their human companion and ready to learn more from her.

“Nozomi?” They call loudly into the room, their booming voice bouncing off the walls and echoing around the open space.

There’s faint footsteps in the distance and Eli looks towards the hall and watches Nozomi come into view, her hood pulled closely around her to keep her warm. Her eyes gaze worriedly over to them and the two make their way over to each other instantly. Eli takes comfort in seeing her coming over quickly, but the concerned gaze Nozomi sends their way doesn’t give them relief.

“Elichi,” she greets with a worried voice. “I know you said you’d be a while, but you usually come during the evening. What brings you here earlier?”

“I wanted to see you,” they respond immediately. “Or maybe, I needed to see you- I..I don’t know, I just-”

Eli cuts off, unable to speak about it anymore. They aren’t sure what to say but just being in Nozomi’s company is enough. The violet haired girl’s eyes soften and she says nothing as she takes the god’s hand into hers and leads them towards the statue. Eli relishes in the warmth of Nozomi’s gloved fingers, taking in the way they hold onto their hand with a firm but gentle grip. They allow Nozomi to pull them along and that alone quells the anxiety that threatens to consume them.

They stop at the foot of the statue and Eli stands side by side with Nozomi, continuing to hold her hand. The both of them stare up at it and Eli searches the carved etches of their face in the stone for some sort of answer. Some kind of hope. Instead all they see is the cold empty gaze of their intimidating stance. Their hand is squeezed gently before Nozomi speaks gently.

“This statue of you is lovely, but I feel like it doesn’t portray what you’re really like. At least, not the you I’ve come to know.”

Eli examines it for a moment. Nozomi makes a fair point. This statue is nothing like who they are right now. Even when it was made, Eli felt the statue was much too different from the god they were at the time. This Eli looks wiser. Smarter. Like they knew how to handle whatever situation was thrown at them.

“I don’t mind that.” Eli comments. “ I’ve always thought that this statue is meant to be a guide for me in some way. Like it represents who I will become.”

“What do you mean by that?” Nozomi’s brows furrow a bit and she looks to Eli, watching as the blonde stares at their own figure.

“I don’t really know exactly,” they admit shamefully. “It’s one of the many things I can’t explain, no matter how hard I try. Kind of like why I can’t explain why I chose Earth to house the Valley of Kings.”

“Eh? I thought you chose it because Earth was the first planet you gave life to.” Nozomi seems thrown off by Eli’s confession and the god smiles weakly.

“I guess that could be an answer,” they decide, “But I honestly wouldn’t say it’s the right one.”

Nozomi continues to watch the god with curious eyes. Eli can feel the gaze observing them carefully and they sigh. Eli doesn’t face Nozomi as they try to explain.

“I’ve always been drawn to Earth. From the moment I came into existence and created this galaxy, this planet was the one that drew me in more than others. At the time this planet was not so different from the others, but I still found myself attracted to it and its beauty. There’s no other planet in any galaxy quite like this one. Though even with all that, I don’t think that’s the reason I keep returning to Earth.”

They both stay quiet for a moment. Eli focuses on how well their hands fit. Eli’s fingers overlapping Nozomi’s just a smidge while Nozomi’s lock perfectly around theirs. They hold on with a gentle yet firm grip and Eli lets their hands keep their mind from wandering to negative thoughts.

“Elichi, what do you think is the reason you keep returning to Earth then..?” The acolyte asks in a vulnerable voice. Like she’s unsure of if she wants to hear the answer or not.

“Honestly? I have no idea,” they reply truthfully.

Nozomi’s fingers keep their hold on Eli’s and the god looks down to their hands. They focus on the gloves covering Nozomi’s and gather their thoughts together as best they can while taking in all the little details of the fabric. When they have a good idea of what to say, they speak in a voice just above a whisper.

“Whenever I feel lost or confused, I find myself here. I’ve never known why, but being in this temple can help. It’s odd. I don’t always feel reassured, and sometimes I leave frustrated not being able to find out why I feel like this, but I keep coming back. I come here in search of something, but-” They pause and their brow furrows. “But I don’t know what that is. I’ve never known. I just know that being here helps me feel more complete in some way. Like I’m not alone and that out there, someone else feels the exact same as I do at that very moment.”

Eli misses the forlorn gaze Nozomi gives them and sighs, shaking their head.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t come here with the intention of confiding all of this to you. I just knew you and the temple might help me feel less… hopeless.”

With a bit of hesitance, Nozomi steps closer to the god. Eli can feel her arm press against theirs and Nozomi gently leans her head onto their shoulder. Eli tenses slightly, not used to intimate gesture. Nozomi’s hand continues to hold onto Eli’s and her thumb gently caresses the back of Eli’s hand.

“You’re doing your best, Elichi.” She whispers. “I admit, it is quite different seeing the one we worship so lost, but I don’t think it’s entirely uncommon. Even adult humans find themselves lost along the path of life at some point.”

“But I’m not human. I’m a god.” Eli counters stubbornly.

“So?” Eli’s eyes peer down to see Nozomi’s gazing back at them through her hood. “You don’t need to worry about that. Even gods and humans can have some similarities, don’t you think?”

Eli thinks about this for a moment. They don’t divert their eyes as they look for answers in Nozomi’s. They struggle to find the thing that makes them so curious about Nozomi, but they just can’t pin anything to her yet. They decide to change the topic, voicing a rather vulnerable thought.

“Do you ever feel like something important is missing from you, Nozomi? Like you’re incomplete?”

The question catches the acolyte off guard and she looks away, unable to hold eye contact with them any longer. Eli looks back up to the statue, noticing how Nozomi moves away just a bit. When they know Nozomi has no answer, they speak again.

“That’s how I feel. I feel like something important is missing. Like a part of me is somewhere out there, calling for me and trying to return to me.” They grip Nozomi’s hand tighter before continuing. “Two centuries ago, I thought I found it. I thought I had the right idea and having a human who considered me her family filled that empty void in me. Having her in my life opened my eyes to what I miss in my realm and what living creatures get to experience. It filled up that part of me that so desperately sought to feel whole.”

“When she passed, I was back where I started. Not only did the empty feeling return, but it hurt a lot more because I never--I didn’t think that it would happen. The thought hadn’t occurred to me that she might one day be gone and I might have to lead her into the afterlife.”

A long silence follows after Eli’s confession. Their brow furrows and their eyes become misty as they struggle to find out why it had to be this way. Why they lost Alisa so long ago. Why they’re constantly drawn here.

“I still don’t know, Nozomi. I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t know what I’m missing. I thought what I had been missing was that girl back then, but I was wrong. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel like the god this statue represents. The god I’m supposed to be.”

The hand holding theirs grips onto them tighter and Eli continues to look up.

“I think,” Nozomi states, looking at the statue with Eli. “I think that you’ll be able to figure it out one day. I know it’s hard, but you will. I believe if anyone is capable of doing it, it is you Elichi.”

The two of them look to each other. Eli’s choice to come to Earth was right, being with Nozomi was the exact comfort they needed. They still feel lost, but the hopeless feeling in their gut no longer lingers. They turn to face each other, and Eli speaks in a soft voice.

“I need to go for a while, Nozomi.”

Despite not saying why, Nozomi nods. She understands Eli has their duties, and she can’t keep Eli from them. Eli wishes they could stay longer. They wish they could talk more with Nozomi, that they wouldn’t run out of time together like this. Their galaxies need them, but they will do everything in their power to make sure they can fix this and come back to her.

Eli lets go of Nozomi’s hand with reluctance. With a short wave of their hand they’re gone, leaving Nozomi alone in the great big empty temple. Nozomi looks to the ground with a guilty expression. She closes her eyes, keeping her hands at her side as she whispers quietly to herself.

“I’m sorry, Elichi.”

* * *

 

Chaos and flames. It’s all Eli can think about. They watch from their spot a great distance away in their realm as the planet they spent the better part of the season trying to save finally met its end. Their fists are clenched at their sides as several different apparitions of themself guide the dying souls to the afterlife that awaits them. Eli’s tears fall silently and their lips quiver. They couldn’t save them. They tried so hard, they thought they were on the right path, but there wasn’t enough time.

There was never enough time. Not for Alisa. Not for Eli’s people. Not even for their planets.

Ash fills the air and when all signs of life are gone, Eli lifts one of their hands. They look at the planet, the blue glow around their eyes intensifying as they squeeze their hand shut. The planet in the distance blows up, large and tiny pieces of its surface scattering into space and becoming nothing but floating debris. They hold back their choked sob as the explosion fades into nothingness and what was once a promising planet full of life and hope is now nothing but a memory.

They don’t bother to grab their cloak. They can’t be alone right now. The prayers of a single person wishing them to do their best and to have good luck are the only thing they can think about and without a second thought, Eli steps out of their realm and into the grounds of the valley. Winter’s final days are still cool, but the trees are looking livelier than the last time they were here. Spring is on its way and it pains Eli knowing all that time spent trying to save people was wasted.

They rush up the steps to the temple. Their one solace. The place that helps them feel almost whole. The glittering stars in their tunic shirt shine bright through the dark of night and fade when the torch lights illuminate the darkened room of the temple. They search for Nozomi everywhere in the room, but the woman is nowhere to be found. Eli runs towards the hall, past their statue and towards the room where Nozomi rests.

They step into the open door way and scan the small area. The shelf is decorated with objects the violet haired girl has made. Circles, covered in little divots to give them squarish teeth of some sort, a small sundial that resembles one outside the temple and other miscellaneous items Nozomi may have found outside. Eli looks away from them and stops their gaze at the figure asleep on the bed.

For the first time in months, they feel a slight bit of relief.

They move forward and sit on the bed, pulling the blanket off of Nozomi slightly with their weight. The acolyte murmurs in her sleep, tugging at the blanket to cover herself better. Eli watches as her hands wander towards them, gently grazing against their side. There’s a pause before her eyes open slowly and she lifts her head to look over at Eli.

“Elichi?” she asks in a sleepy uncertain voice. “You’re back?”

The moment their name is said, Eli breaks. A sob escapes their lips and they begin to shake. Nozomi sits up instantly, the braid in her hair falling over the side of her shoulder from the movement. Eli’s hands clutch the blanket as salty tears stream down their cheeks.

“I couldn’t-” they choke out, trying to say the words. “I was too late, Nozomi. I didn’t have enough time. It’s all gone. All of it’s gone.”

Warm arms pull them in and hold them close and Eli tucks their head against Nozomi’s shoulder, letting all their feelings out. Their hands go from gripping the blanket to returning Nozomi’s embrace, clinging onto her tightly. Nozomi keeps her arms around them and rubs their back soothingly as Eli continues to cry against her. The soft fabric of Nozomi’s robes and the rise and fall of Nozomi’s chest as she breathes in soothes them as they slowly calm down.

Once no more tears are left to shed, they stay in Nozomi’s embrace. They don’t say a thing and they take in the feeling of being there with Nozomi comforting them silently. Nozomi’s hand has stopped moving along their back and she keeps her arm comfortably wrapped around them. Eli’s eyes stay closed and they become lost in the thoughts of what to do now that the planet’s gone and the life it held is nothing but a memory.

Nozomi pulls herself away when the faint light of dawn begins to illuminate the bedroom. She stays close to Eli, arms resting next to them as they lift their head off of her shoulder. They know they should explain everything better, but find speech impossible.

Nozomi seems to understand this, and she says nothing as she takes Eli’s hand in hers before standing. Nozomi leads the two of them to the statue, the place they always seem to end up in one way or another. Instead of peering up to it, Nozomi takes both of Eli’s hands in her own and faces them. The god looks at the acolyte with confusion and Nozomi speaks softly.

“Has anything like this ever happened to you before?”

Eli shakes their head. This is the first time a planet has ever gotten so unbalanced that they were left with no choice but to destroy it. They sniffle and Nozomi gives them a small, reassuring smile.

“Don’t fret, Elichi. You took care of their souls, and now they’re resting and awaiting for the next life that they’ll lead. You did great.”

“How can you be so sure?” Eli objects to the praise. They did nothing worthy of being praised.

“Nobody said being god of all that is would be easy,” the violet-haired acolyte retorts. “You should know that better than anyone.”

Eli has no words to reply and watches Nozomi. Despite their eyes being illuminated by the light blue glow, the dark and puffy red around them stands out. Nozomi’s hands squeeze theirs and Eli looks down to their interlaced fingers.

“You’re so confident that I’m doing the right thing. That I’m on the right path,” they start quietly. “Why? Why do you have so much faith in me? I’m not a good King, I’m a failure to my galaxies and my people. I’m the worst god there ever could be.“

Nozomi looks up at Eli with a hurt expression, offended by Eli’s words.

“Why do you have such little faith in yourself?” she breathes just as quietly.

Eli speaks instantly, not afraid of Nozomi’s reaction to their answer.

“Because I’m nothing, Nozomi,” they whisper. “I’ve got all this power to create, to destroy, to take and give life, to manage the climates and weather and somehow I need work out how to manage how much time I can do it in. When I think I’ve figured it out, I’m too late. Time runs out. What kind of god fails their people this way? What kind of god can’t grasp their powers after so long that they lose an entire planet and its civilization?”

They look at Nozomi with lost eyes. That same expression that scours for the part missing from them. Eli searches for answers in Nozomi’s expression, but can’t find a single thing. Eli doesn’t know why they put so much hope in getting answers even they don’t know from the human.

The girl standing there decides to speak after a moment of contemplation.

“Do you remember the last lesson we left off on, Elichi?” Nozomi asks.

“Nozomi,” Eli sighs, not wanting to change the topic but Nozomi presses on.

“Elichi, every living thing outside your realm has its own time limit.” Nozomi decides to turn away from Eli, pulling them along to the window. “What happened when you were born, Elichi? How were you able to create Earth? You couldn’t have made it sustainable for life on the first attempt, why else would you make this planet the only one with life in this galaxy if you had?”

She stops speaking for a moment, making sure Eli’s listening to her.

“I believe you did it because you needed to get the hang of creating a planet that would be able to sustain life.”

They stop and gaze outdoors, watching as the sun climbs the horizon and the early morning rays of light begin to illuminate the wilderness around them. Eli’s unable to take in the early morning beauty with the awful pit in their stomach and Nozomi intertwines their fingers together. She speaks in a voice full of more emotion, wanting Eli to understand what she’s trying to say

“I think the key to making a planet able to hold life is knowing that if it began, one day it might have to end. Whether you believe that or not is up to you, but everything out there has a lifespan because that’s the way you intended it. That’s part of what makes the gift of life so precious, Elichi.”

Eli turns to face Nozomi and watches as the rays of light hit her face. Her expression is soft and there’s a hint of a smile as she lowers her pointing hands down to her side. They don’t look away as Nozomi continues to speak.

“We can’t have our lives forever. Not in the mortal world. As we grow older, most of us understand that. We know we won’t be here forever like you will be, and we know you’ll guide us to our next life afterwards. You’ll thank us for doing a great job in the life we currently live, and then from there who knows. Maybe you’ll give us a new life to live, or maybe we’ll go on to the afterlife, where our souls will live peacefully until the end of their existence. I really don’t know, you’re the only one who has an idea of what happens in the afterlife, after all. We know we only have so much time to do what we can in our lives on Earth.

“I think that even includes planets. Maybe the stars too. Everything has a time limit of some sort in the mortal realm, Elichi. Even in your galaxies.”

Eli’s speechless as the orange glow of the sun hits them as well. The warmth from its rays warms them to their very core. Eli’s body tingles and they think over Nozomi’s wise words. They understand more now. Accepting what happened to that planet might take more time, but time is something they have plenty of. They’ll be okay, and that thought alone helps comfort them.

“I feel like I’ve only now just learnt something I should have known long ago,” they whisper. “I feel better. Wiser. I feel like I understand why it needed to happen.”

Nozomi squeezes Eli’s hand and for once Eli returns the gesture. Together they watch the sun rise for a bit longer. Eli feels better from Nozomi’s words and knows they’ll grieve a bit longer over the loss of what would have been a wonderful planet, but in this moment they feel nothing but peace. They smile, watching the sun climb higher into the sky and illuminate more of the valley around them.

A sudden weight on their shoulder pulls their attention from the sunrise and Eli glances over to find Nozomi leaning against them. Her eyes are shut and her hands grip on Eli’s loosens slightly. Eli opens their mouth to call her name, but quickly notices the slow and even breaths that fall from Nozomi’s parted lips. They laugh lightly to themselves before carefully lifting Nozomi into their arms, doing their best not to stir her too much. Once they have a steady hold, they begin the short journey back to Nozomi’s room. They set her down gently onto the bed, pulling the covers over Nozomi and tucking her in comfortably.

When she’s certain Eli’s left the room, Nozomi lips form a tiny smile and she exhales contently through her nose.

* * *

 

A couple weeks pass. Eli hasn’t left the planet since that morning, not wanting to be alone in their realm. They spend their time with Nozomi, watching her go about her daily chores and even including themselves in some to help out around the temple. Nozomi is happy to have their company, enjoying the time they get to spend with one another and not wasting a moment of it. Some days the both of them would go about their own things, Eli sitting by their statue to take care of their duties while Nozomi does some outdoor chores of her own.

When Eli finishes for the day, they hear Nozomi’s voice not too far away. They smile as they hear Nozomi’s song and push themselves off of their feet, walking towards the entrance to see what else Nozomi might be up to. Eli remembers the first time they heard Nozomi singing, recalling the autumn day perfectly. It’s hard to believe that almost half a year has passed since then. They think about the way she prayed that day, the way her green eyes bore into their own, the offering that managed to stay unspoiled throughout her long journey there. They chuckle softly at the memory.

It’s a nice recollection until they remember the deal they made with the violet-haired acolyte. Eli’s heart drops into their stomach and the smile soon turns into a worried frown. Winter was more than over now and they were well on their way into spring. There were plenty of flowers beginning to grow around the temple and the plants and trees were becoming full of life more and more every day. Time was up for Eli yet again. They needed to prepare themselves to say goodbye to the acolyte soon.

Maybe if Eli’s lucky, Nozomi would forget about the deal? Eli shakes their head at the thought. It doesn’t matter what they want. Nozomi has a life to return to and they can’t keep her from it any longer. Eli’s learnt a lot of valuable things from Nozomi in their time together, even if they weren’t present for most of the season. They wonder if that thought will be enough for them when Nozomi isn’t around the temple anymore.

The urge to ask Nozomi to stay is tempting but  Eli quickly suppresses the idea. They can’t be selfish and keep her from her life. They step out into the sunshine to find Nozomi at the edge of the top step, finishing her song with one last sweep of her broom. She notices Eli’s arrival almost instantly and turns to them with smiling eyes. Eli returns it with a soft, sad smile of their own and Nozomi’s expression changes immediately. She steps closer to Eli, tilting her head curiously.

“Everything okay, Elichi?” she inquires.

Eli leans against the doorframe and chooses to dodge the question Nozomi asks. They decide it’s something they can talk about later. For now, Eli simply wants to enjoy the moment with Nozomi.

“I really like that song you always sing,” They comment with a tiny grin. “Do you know the name of it? I feel like I may have heard it before.”

Nozomi eyes them suspiciously before shaking her head, using the broom to sweep the last bit of dirt away as she replies to the god.

“Sadly, no.” She states. “I’ve known this song for as long as I can remember, but I can’t ever recall what the title to it is. I don’t even know if I remember where I heard it, to be honest.”

“Really? You didn’t learn it from your parents or the acolytes or anything like that?” Eli asks, catching the small bluff in the latter part of Nozomi’s reply.

The acolyte laughs lightly, putting her chin on top of the broom and resting carefully against it.

“I bet even if I told you how I heard this song, you wouldn’t believe me.” She eyes Eli with a mischievous grin behind her mask.

“You’re telling me, the King of the cosmos, that I might not believe you?” Eli questions with a smirk of their own. “Try me, Nozomi.”

Nozomi holds her smirk for a short moment before she glances away. Eli watches as Nozomi leans the broom against the temple wall and walks towards the entrance with slow steps. They follow Nozomi inside, trailing not too far behind her as she walks into the center of the room. They wonder what’s going through her train of thought for only a moment until Nozomi turns to face them. Her eyes are determined and Eli prepares themself for whatever is about to come.

“What would you say if I told you that I’m not an ordinary human?” Nozomi asks them.

“I’d agree,” the god jokes.

Eli watches as a hint of a smile creeps on Nozomi’s face.

“Clever, Elichi,” Nozomi quips. “Be honest, you’re in a holy temple.”

Eli laughs lightly, a more relaxing air surrounding the two of them. They say nothing as they look over Nozomi, watching as she slowly removes her cloak and mask. Her hair is in a long braid today, a hairstyle the acolyte usually wears to bed. The moment they have a reply, they voice their thoughts.

“I’d still agree. The day I found you here, I already knew there was nothing ordinary about you. No regular human can reach this temple. You’re the exception to that.”

Nozomi’s smile grows a tiny bit.

“Did you ever wonder how I learnt about the temple? How I knew exactly where I would find it?” Nozomi watches Eli’s open their mouth to answer but she cuts them off. “If you’re going to say it’s from a two hundred year-old legend, you’d be wrong. Only one other human has ever been to this temple, and you and I both know she never talked about the location of it to anyone.”

Eli’s heart races. It’s the first time Nozomi’s ever talked about something related to Alisa with them. They wonder just how much the acolyte might know about their little sister, but when they realize there’s no other way for her to learn about the temple in a way that sounds logical, their eyes narrows slightly.

“If that isn’t the way you know, then I have no idea,” they answer with a serious voice. “There’s no other possible way.”

“What if I told you that I’ve always known about its existence from the moment I was born?”

Eli looks at her skeptically and Nozomi laughs nervously, commenting on how it sounds a lot sillier out loud than she thought it might.

“I don’t understand. What’s this got to do with the song?” Eli asks, not wanting to play games any longer. “What are you hiding from me?”

Nozomi can sense the serious tone in their voice. She offers them that dimpled smile of hers and her eyes gloss over. Water pools at the edges of the human’s eyes and Eli is taken aback for a short moment. In all the time they’ve spent together Eli feels ashamed for only just noticing the storm of emotions hiding in her eyes.

“Because they are both things that tie me to you, Elichi,” the girl answers. “The song and the temple; these are only two of the things that were meant to help bring me to you.”

Eli’s eyes widen as they watch Nozomi take a step closer to them.

“You once asked me if I ever felt like something was missing. Like I was incomplete.” Nozomi recalls the phrase Eli said, looking at them with their teary eyes. “Would you believe me if I told you I already knew what was missing from me?”

They hesitate for a moment as their mind is overcome with many thoughts at once.

“Yes,” Eli voices uncertainly as the pieces slowly come together.

“Would you really?” Nozomi asks again, needing the reassurance.

She’s gotten closer to them now. Her hands are at her sides and Eli has to resist the urge to reach out and take them in their own. The crown above Eli’s head flickers and for a split second Nozomi distorts. A lavender crown hovering above her head, her vibrant eyes emitting a glow similar to her own. A vision of Nozomi in a long sleeve shirt decorated with numbers and circles resembling the craft on Nozomi’s shelf. Eli inhales sharply as the image burns itself into their mind.

Memories of a time long ago, when they sat alone in their realm, play. They hum a tune no different from the one Nozomi sang earlier and in their hands they hold a tinier, less powerful version of the star that would become the sun of this galaxy with the voice explaining this to them. Another memory plays shortly after, of the day Eli first came into the valley. The temple being finished and the statue of them is new and standing tall and proud inside of it. They softly sing the song to themselves as they use their powers to carve smaller details into the pillars and the voice guides them through it. The restless nights they had were always made better when the voice reminded them to sing that same song, in hopes that it might help them sleep. It usually always did.

Their eyes are large as they gape towards Nozomi and it all begins to make perfect sense to them.

“A voice-” Eli breathes and Nozomi perks up, a hopeful look in her eyes. “You heard a voice-”

“Mhm!” Nozomi cuts them off with a hum, not trusting her voice as the tears grow larger.

“How long has it been with you?! What did it tell you?!” Eli caves into their urge to reach out and grabs Nozomi’s hands, holding them tightly in their own.

“It told me many things Elichi.” Nozomi laughs as her tears barely creep over the corners of her eyes.

“Nozomi!” Eli whines as their own tears form, the hint of a smile on their lips.

The violet haired girl laughs, unable to resist teasing Eli even now. She sniffles a bit and Eli notices a tear has started to fall. They reach one of their hands up, brushing it away with their thumb and getting Nozomi’s full attention.

“It taught me everything I needed to know about who I am,” she starts, her voice full of relief.” It told me I needed to fill the empty hole in my heart before I would become the person it said I was destined to be. It gave me hints about what I needed to find you, the valley where your temple stands, the song, an idea of who you are, but never anything exact. It left when I was twelve, but at that point I didn’t need it anymore. I knew I’d be able to figure it out.”

Nozomi’s hand presses against Eli’s and she leans into their touch.

“Fourteen years later, I finally met you and it was worth the wait,” Nozomi concludes, smiling as another tear falls.

The god finally understands. The feeling that drew them to Nozomi, the true reasons that pulled them to Earth and its life. For the first time in their existence, Eli feels like they’re a lot closer to being the god the statue in their temple symbolizes. The god the voice knew they would be. Eli hates that it took so much time to find her but it’s a minor feeling compared to the happiness flowing through them.

“It’s you,” Eli says in a strong, certain voice. “You’re the reason I come here to feel whole. You’re the part of me that I’ve been missing. The reason the temple pulled me in is because I somehow knew I’d meet you here.”

Eli’s tears fall as Nozomi nods vigorously.

“That’s right, Elichi,” she confirms.

Unable to contain their happiness, Eli’s arms wrap around the girl and pull her close. Nozomi holds on just as tightly to Eli and she buries her face into their shirt, her happy tears freely falling now. Eli’s fall just as heavily and they lay their head on top of Nozomi’s, closing their eyes and enjoying the tight embrace. It’s hard for Eli to believe they finally found what’s been missing from them, but when no signs of the empty void inside of them are present, they know every part of this is real. Nozomi’s the person they’ve been waiting for and this moment will be the first step into a life that’s no longer lonely for either of them.

They pull away after a long moment and Eli keeps their arms around Nozomi. They brush some hair from the girl’s face, smiling lovingly at her and Nozomi returns it with her own. No words are said as Eli leans forward, touching their foreheads together gently. They sniffle and Nozomi laughs softly and it makes their heart flip inside their chest. In a voice barely above a whisper, they ask Nozomi if she’s ready for the next step. Nozomi brushes their noses together to confirm she is and Eli leans forward to seal their lips together for the first time.

Bright lights and strong gusts surround the two of them and Nozomi clings to Eli out of fear of being pulled away from them. The earth shakes and Eli keeps a strong hold of her, pressing her to them as the wind breezes through their hair and the ground quakes. Eli can feel the powerful energy radiating from the connection and they don’t stop the smile that forms as the two of them remain pressed to each other. The sparks sent throughout Eli’s entire body feel unlike anything they’ve ever experienced and when the winds die down, Eli pulls away to look at Nozomi.

Their eyes light up when they notice the glowing crown above Nozomi’s form. Her dark robes are replaced with light purple ones that are similar to theirs in design. When her eyes open a striking green glow surrounds them, matching the blue that surround their own. Eli beams as Nozomi blinks in surprise, looking at herself before gazing up to Eli with a bright smile.

Nozomi closes her eyes, leaning against them, and Eli peers to the side where their statue stands. They freeze for a moment before tugging on Nozomi’s robes urgently, bringing her attention away from them to where Eli stares. Her eyes widen in awe and she laughs lightly, understanding why the earth shook around them during their kiss.

Standing right next to Eli’s statue is a new one that resembles the new goddess. It wears the robes she currently has and its face holds a happy, loving expression. It’s pose is simple, with its hands to its sides and her hair tied into a long braid thrown over her shoulder. Nozomi tears her eyes away from it to find Eli looking down at her with a small smile.

“Looks like the temple welcomes you as its Queen.” They comment in amusement, saying Nozomi’s new title out loud for the first time.

Nozomi blushes and presses her face into Eli again. Eli chuckles, enjoying the shy gesture and decides it’s time to show Nozomi their realm. With one arm around Nozomi tightly, they use the other to wave them out of the space in the temple and into another plane of existence off of Earth. A small breeze blows gently through the temple after their exit, circling around the new statues that stand together in the large empty room in peace.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, commenting, and leaving Kudos! Please feel free to visit Skire's blog or mine if you're curious about the AU and would like to know more ( more specifically you can go to Skire's VOK AU tag or mine as well, here are links to both! http://skiretehfox.tumblr.com/tagged/VoK+AU/  
> http://nozoroomie.tumblr.com/tagged/vok+au )


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